“This report neatly summarises the changes in education over the last 20 years and the big policy questions facing the new government. For all the reforms and structural changes that have taken place in the last two decades, the sobering reality is that no real progress has been made in reducing child poverty and closing the attainment gap. This is a major failure of policymaking and schools have been left to deal with the repercussions.
“As this report points out, many of the challenges faced by the new government cannot be dealt with without investment. We welcome the commitment to tackling child poverty and the setting up of a taskforce, but it will only produce tangible results if sufficient resources are committed. Schools and colleges can be part of the solution, but only with adequate funding and staffing in place.
“If this government is to succeed where others have failed, and make a lasting difference to the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people, they have to learn the lessons of the last 20 years and be far bolder in their actions.”